Appeal Denied on Unser’s Disqualification

The decision that deprived Al Unser Jr. of a victory and practically ended his hopes of repeating as IndyCar champion has been upheld, the sport’s sanctioning body announced Tuesday.

“It is the opinion of the stewards that the protest was not well founded,” IndyCar said in a statement dismissing the appeal by Penske Racing.

Unser was disqualified from the Budweiser-G.I. Joe’s 200 at Portland, Ore., on June 25 when a post-race inspection revealed that his Penske-Mercedes had less than the required two inches of ground clearance. The victory was taken away three hours after the race and awarded to Jimmy Vasser.

Team spokesman Dan Luginbuhl said the denial would be appealed to a three-judge panel. Under IndyCar rules, no one involved in the race, in the decision to strip Unser of the victory or in the denial of the protest can be empaneled.

Hockey

Kevin Stevens, a high-scoring left wing, was acquired by the Boston Bruins from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of a four-player trade, Boston radio station WEEI-AM reported. In exchange for Stevens and center Shawn McEachern, the Penguins received center Bryan Smolinski and right wing Glen Murray.

Brian Smith, a popular television sportscaster and former King, was shot in the head with a rifle in broad daylight in Ottawa while heading to the parking lot after his evening broadcast.

Smith, 54, underwent surgery at Ottawa Civic Hospital to control bleeding in his head. He played with the Kings in the 1967-68 season.

The Mighty Ducks and restricted free agent Joe Sacco agreed to terms on a new three-year contract that will pay the right wing $1.45 million over three years. The team also agreed on a new contract with minor league defenseman Jason Marshall. . . . The Tampa Bay Lightning signed veteran defenseman Bill Houlder to a multiyear contract.

Golf

Mark McCumber overcame an early deficit for the second consecutive day, making up two holes on Loren Roberts to score a 2-up victory in the U.S. final of the World Championship of Golf at Kohler, Wis.

McCumber, who came from four holes down to defeat Corey Pavin on Monday, will face South Africa’s David Frost in the semifinals Dec. 30 at Grayhawk in Scottsdale, Ariz. England’s Barry Lane and Japan’s Masahiro Kuramoto also have advanced.

Jurisprudence

Randy Moss, West Virginia’s top high school football player, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery stemming from a racial fight at school, then announced he will play at Florida State. Moss was sentenced to 30 days in the South Central Regional Jail in Charleston.

Four-time batting champion Bill Madlock faces a bench warrant for his arrest after failing to appear in court on charges he wrote $6,500 in bad checks. The no-bail warrant was issued after Madlock failed to show up Friday in Las Vegas Justice Court on the felony charges.

Miscellany

UCLA’s Troy Glaus capped a three-run, ninth-inning rally with a two-run single as Team USA defeated Cuba, 6-5, at Millington, Tenn.

The victory gave the Americans a sweep of the four-game series with the Cuban national team and extended their winning streak to 14 games. It’s the first time the Cubans have been swept in an international series.

Former world champion Kim Mearig, who was eliminated in the semifinals of the Op Pro Surfing Championship last week, advanced to the second round of the women’s trials in the U.S. Open at Huntington Beach.

Names in the News

Former Chicago Bear coach Mike Ditka underwent surgery to repair part of the artificial right hip he received in 1984. . . . St. Peter’s promoted former assistant Rodger Blind to men’s basketball coach, less than two months after the school fired Ted Fiore.